Methods and apparatus for modulating variable gravities and launching vehicles

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus are described for providing a reduced or modulated gravity environment in a land-based facility. The system includes the evaluation of terrain and man-made structures to support a vertical vehicle guide, the construction of a vehicle guide, the provision of a vehicle and a control system adapted to control a motion of the vehicle up and down along the vehicle guide with a specific velocity profile so as to produce a selected modulated gravity environment. The same apparatus can also be used as a vehicle launching method.

1 . A system for modulating selected gravity environments and launching vehicles, comprising:
 a vehicle or a plurality of vehicles having cabin spaces wherein   payloads can be accommodated in said cabin spaces; and   a substantially vertical vehicle guide or a plurality of substantially vertical vehicle guides including means for driving and braking said vehicles; said vehicle guides movably support and control said vehicles to accelerate and decelerate said vehicles such that said selected gravity environments will be experienced inside said cabin spaces for a substantially long period of time.   
     
     
         2 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle guides are supported by the structural integrity of an underground well in a beneficially chosen terrain feature and location for a macroscopic height of said vehicle guides. 
     
     
         3 . The system as defined in  claim 2 , wherein said macroscopic height is at least 300 meters. 
     
     
         4 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle guides are supported by the structural integrity of a building for an additional macroscopic height of said vehicle guides. 
     
     
         5 . The system as defined in  claim 4 , wherein said additional macroscopic height is at least 300 meters. 
     
     
         6 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said substantially long period of time of said selected gravity environments is at least fifteen seconds. 
     
     
         7 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle is releasably attached to said vehicle guide. 
     
     
         8 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said means for driving and braking said vehicles are electromagnetic devices. 
     
     
         9 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said vehicle guide is used for modulating said gravity environments by accelerating said vehicles to a predetermined point and decelerating said vehicles to another predetermined point along said vehicle guides. 
     
     
         10 . The system as defined in  claim 1  wherein said payload is adapted to produce a process result related to said modulated gravity environments. 
     
     
         11 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said payload includes human occupants and said modulated gravity environments include an entertainment experience and fitness exercise. 
     
     
         12 . The system as defined in  claim 1 , wherein said plurality of vehicle guide includes a pair of substantially parallel vehicle guides, wherein the lower portions and upper portions of said parallel vehicle guides are merged into extended sections to form a guide loop. 
     
     
         13 . A method of modulating selected gravity environments and launching vehicles, comprising:
 identifying a beneficial macroscopic height for deploying a substantially vertical vehicle guide or a plurality of substantially vertical vehicle guides;   accommodating payloads in a vehicle or a plurality of vehicles attached to said vehicle guides;   accelerating and decelerating said vehicles along said vehicle guides so as to subject said payload to said selected gravity environments.   
     
     
         14 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said vehicles accelerate and decelerate along said vehicle guides so as to subject said payload to said modulated gravity environments comprises subjecting said payload to a substantially zero gravity. 
     
     
         15 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein accelerating and decelerating said vehicles further comprises controlling said vehicles with a computerized control according to a predetermined velocity profile along said vehicle guides. 
     
     
         16 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein said vehicle guide accelerates said vehicle from the lower portion to the top of said vehicle guide and release said vehicle. 
     
     
         17 . A method according to  claim 15  wherein said vehicle guide accelerates said vehicle from the lower portion of said vehicle guide up to a predetermined point on said vehicle guide and decelerates said vehicle according to a predetermined velocity profile to the upper portion of said vehicle guide. 
     
     
         18 . A method according to  claim 15 , wherein said predetermined velocity profiles along said vehicle guides are determined by said selected gravity environments and payloads. 
     
     
         19 . A method according to  claim 13 , wherein said vehicles are scheduled and dispatched on said vehicle guides such that while one vehicle is braking, another vehicle is accelerating upwards.